Abstract
A study of the integrationist movement in the Commonwealth Caribbean from historic, economic and political perspectives, from the early days of colonial rule to the establishment and operation of the present Caribbean Community, including the ill-fated experiment of the West Indies Federation.The analysis is divided into three parts corresponding to three different periods and three different approaches: the attempted administrative centralization of the past; the economic integration of the present; and the possible political union of the future. The first movement was planned outside the Caribbean; the second came from within, and the third, though also originating from within, will demand action from the outside to create the conditions necessary for unity.The historic review of attempts to create an administrative unit of the region ranges from the early 1600's to the middle of the 20th Century; the review of the second period, economic integration, follows its development through the Conferences of Heads of Government that have been held periodically since 1963, in different territories of the Commonwealth Caribbean. The third section explores the possibility of political union based on past experiences and present developments.An Introduction outlines the scope of the study and the Conclusions its results.